Date night ended in tragedy Saturday in Columbia Heights when a pedestrian was struck and killed while crossing Central Avenue.
Charlie Flocken, 56, of Minneapolis was hit by a southbound SUV about 9 p.m. as he walked to the VFW near 45th Avenue NE., the Anoka County Sheriff's Office said. Flocken was taken to a hospital where he died.
Authorities did not release Flocken's name, but his girlfriend, Melinda Morgan, identified him as the victim.
Morgan said in an interview Monday that she and Flocken had been listening to music earlier at the VFW and were not drinking. But he had forgotten to put money in his wallet, Morgan said, and went home to get some. He was returning to the VFW when he called her.
"He said he had found the money," she said. "Then he said, 'I just have to cross the street and will be there in a minute or two.' "
Flocken never made it.
Morgan said she ran outside of the VFW to see Flocken lying in the street.
Authorities had not released details about the crash, but preliminary information indicated Flocken was not in a crosswalk, the Sheriff's Office said. An investigation was underway.
Morgan said she and Flocken had been dating since December and had gone to the VFW several times to hang out.
"He believed in opening doors for women; he was that kind of a guy," Morgan said. "He was one of the good guys they don't make any more."
Flocken grew up in north Minneapolis and lived in his childhood home. He had studied to be a mechanic and often did tiling, roofing and siding jobs for others, Morgan said.
"We had to get him business cards that said 'I can fix that,' " Morgan said. "He was a talented man."
Flocken was a piano wizard, unbeatable at pool and loved to tell jokes, she said.
"He was quite the character, " Morgan said. "He had a great outlook on life, always had a smile on his face."
For Morgan, the pain of Flocken's death is doubly hard to take. Four months ago, she said, a close friend was struck and killed also while walking across Central Avenue. She said she wondered if better lighting and improved pedestrian facilities would help make the street safer.
"I wish people would watch better when driving on Central Avenue," Morgan said. "Something needs to be done because we can't keep burying people because they are hit by cars. I'm broken right now."
